


The Crimson Days Drabbles

by bloodstainedpurplehoodie



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sloppy Makeouts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:54:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodstainedpurplehoodie/pseuds/bloodstainedpurplehoodie
Summary: A collection of one shots based off of the Crimson Days prompts by long-boy-in-the-soup on Tumblr (https://long-boy-in-the-soup.tumblr.com/post/641787598738685952/i-saw-people-wanting-to-do-a-destcember-style).They primarily involve my Hunter Visrel trying to win Crow and my Warlock Sacha discovering feelings for Banshee. Some will be longer than others depending on the prompt. Tags will also be updated as more chapters are uploaded each day. I've never done a monthly prompt thing completely through but Destiny 2 make brain go brr so I might actually make it! Also, I'm currently working on writing a Visrel and Crow fic. If you're reading that and this there will probably be repeated information. It's best to treat each chapter as a different one shot instead of them compiled together (unless stated otherwise). There will also be a spectrum of crushing to established relationships.
Relationships: Banshee-44/Male Guardian (Destiny), Crow/Male Guardian (Destiny)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	1. Crimson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sacha is asked to help Visrel with a project and asks him for a favor as well to get some specific shaders involving the color red.

“Sacha!” 

The headache started before Sacha even looked up from his workbench. He should’ve known that bloody Hunter would seek him out eventually now that they were both back in the Tower for the time being. Why couldn’t he ever get some peace, even with his hidden workshop? He scowled down at the dismantled Servitor in front of him. There was the sound of metal on metal as the Awoken Hunter, Visrel, ran up. 

“Oi, what do you want?” Sacha asked, probably a bit too cold. 

“Oh, um, sorry. I can come back later . . .” He looked up now and was surprised to see both a look of excitement and worry on Visrel’s face. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw the other man look concerned when not in the field. 

Sighing, Sacha put down the tool he was holding. “No, no. What is it?” 

“I need some advice. On . . . putting things together?” Visrel didn’t meet his eyes and began shifting his weight. Sacha raised an eyebrow.

“Like putting together a gun? Or armor? You’re going to have to be more specific than that.” 

“I want to make something for Crow.” 

Now, this was intriguing. Sacha couldn’t stop the sly grin from appearing on his face. He always looked forward to the opportunity to mess with him on his crush. But something stopped him from immediately making a comment. Visrel’s cheeks were a deep purple and he tried to look anywhere but at Sacha. 

“You want me to make something for you?” he asked. 

“If you could?” Visrel’s eyes were wide and staring at him now. “He likes to watch things from afar, and I was thinking maybe like a bird or something that could work as a camera if that isn’t too much? That way he could safely do recon while also doing something else and stay out of danger. Not that he isn’t capable, because he definitely is! It’s just that I worry sometimes and . . .” 

Sacha moved as Visrel kept talking. It’s not that he didn’t care. In fact, it seems like every time Visrel came around the conversation somehow led to Crow. It was just he had other things to do and the quicker he could make this mechanical bird for his friend the better. He was sure he had some spare parts laying around, or at the very least could find them somewhere in the city. Visrel kept talking as Sacha set to work. 

“ . . . but he’s getting closer and closer to the action and I know Glint will just revive him when it gets too much. I’d just rather avoid watching him die.” There was a pause. “Again.” 

“Mhmm.” 

The workshop was silenced, and Sacha let Visrel think. They don’t talk about it, even though Sacha already knew Crow’s past and the part Visrel played in it. The poor Hunter was prone to panic attacks when faced with those thoughts. Sacha considered himself lucky in that area. Feelings were hard enough for him to express as is. He couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to be consumed by them. 

About fifteen minutes later, the Servitor on the workbench was replaced with a pile of what looked like, at first glance, random junk. There were a few things Sach would have to go looking for but nothing that couldn’t be found somewhere in the walls. There was just one thing he was missing . . .

“Visrel, I need you to run an errand.” Visrel, who had been sitting on a counter watching Sacha gather supplies, leapt off with a renewed excitement. 

“Of course! What do you need?” Sacha pulled out some glimmer and handed it over to him.

“I need you to find me a few shaders. Specifically the one called Crucible Metallic. Get as many as you can find.” A look of confusion spread across Visrel’s face. But he took the glimmer anyways, nodded, and left the workshop. 

It took a majority of the day to gather the rest of the supplies and to start work on the mechanical crow. The gathering of materials was the hard part, and even then only took an hour or so. The project wasn’t entirely too difficult, but Sacha likes to make sure everything he makes is foolproof and the best he can possibly make it. If that means spending hours rerunning diagnostics then so be it. Visrel didn’t return until much later, close to sunset. 

“Okay, so, as it turns out, it’s really difficult to find that particular shader. So I only managed to get a few,” Visrel said, setting down the packs on a counter. “If this bird is already black, why do you need them? Don’t you think red will make it stand out?” 

“They aren’t for the bird.” 

Sacha let out a breath and looked over the bird. To the unsuspecting, it looked like a normal black bird. But upon closer inspection, there was a camera lens in the eye. It was able to be synched up with one’s Ghost and record or give a live view of whatever it was seeing. Sacha even managed to find an optical that could both see heat signatures and have a night vision mode. It was the perfect spy. Well, on Earth at least. Sacha didn’t say out loud that the bird would only be useful here and spoil Visrel’s excitement.

“Alright, it’s ready for calibration. Your boyfriend should be able to set it up with his Ghost.” 

“Crow isn’t-”

“You’re welcome.” 

Visrel huffed but there was a smile on his face. He walked over to the bird, surveyed it, and took it off the workbench. 

“Thanks, red. I owe you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Sacha waved his hand in dismissal. “Just let me know if something breaks.” 

Visrel grinned and ran out of the workshop without another word. Sacha couldn’t help but laugh out loud once he was gone. If only he knew what those shaders were for. He had hoped that he would leave and not stay to find out Sacha’s secret. The Warlock would never hear the end of it. 

Sacha went over to the shaders, grabbed one, and crushed it between his fingers. The air around his head began to shimmer as the shader began to take effect. He waited until the last of the shimmer faded before walking over to a scrap piece of reflective metal and examined his reflection. His hair, which had faded to a dull orange in recent months, was now once again a bright crimson. Honestly, he couldn’t believe that someone with immaculate eyesight such as Visrel never noticed that his hair wasn’t naturally red. 

A box of various bits and pieces taken from scrapped guns sat next to the counter. Sacha tossed another piece into it, unused in the creation of the bird, and picked it up, leaving the workshop as well. 

The Tower was a bit more crowded than he would’ve liked. Thankfully, everyone moved out of his way as he carried his box. He didn’t spot Visrel anywhere but that wasn’t surprising. He probably already took off to go deliver his gift. It didn’t really matter. Sacha had his own to deliver. 

Banshee’s storefront was surprisingly empty for once. It wasn’t unusual to see a few guardians hanging out and chatting with him or dropping off parts. A lot feel bad for him because of his terrible memory. Sacha isn’t quite sure exactly how Exos work and their whole remake process. But he does know that a lot of mental functions can be lost during each cycle. It’s a good thing he’s a relatively patient person. Hell, he lets Visrel talk for hours. 

Sacha set the box on the counter. “Got some more spare parts for you.” 

There was the usual pause and he felt like he could hear the actual gears turn as Banshee looked from him to the box. He’s been coming here almost twice a week now with parts and at least once just for conversation. There were times where he went unrecognized or stories were repeated. Sacha didn’t mind, however. They were always as exciting as the first time. 

“Sacha?” 

He nodded and allowed himself to smile a bit. Banshee nodded as well before grabbing the box and putting it somewhere behind the counter. He then turned and just stared at him. His eyes squinted and he looked Sacha up and down. Eventually, he pointed to him. 

“Huh. You changed your hair, didn’t you?” 

“I touched it up a bit, yes,” he replied. 

Banshee crossed his arms. “It looks good. Reminds me of a sunset.” 

Much like Visrel earlier that morning, Sacha also felt the heat rise in his cheeks, though he coughed awkwardly in hopes it would go away. He still wasn’t quite sure why he felt the way he did but the feelings were there nonetheless. The only person who knew about it was his Hunter friend. It would take some time before admitting to them outloud, if it would even make a difference. 

“Ah, thanks.” Sacha tightened his top knot absentmindedly. “I’ll let you get back to it then.” 

“It’s been a slow day. Do you mind having a conversation? It helps with the . . .” 

Banshee’s eyes were suddenly no longer focusing on Sacha. They were fixated on a spot just over his shoulder. Sacha didn’t even bother looking in the direction. He already knew there was nothing there. Instead, he placed a hand on the counter. 

“Of course I don’t mind.” 

That seemed to snap Banshee out of it. He chuckled, looked back at Sacha and proceeded to talk about a Red War evacuation mission he helped, which was even before Sacha became a Guardian. They talked well after the sun went down and Sacha’s cheeks were even more crimson than his hair.


	2. Vow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel is reminded of a promise he made with Crow while on a job.

It was supposed to be an easy recon mission into a supposedly abandoned building structure in the EDZ, nothing more. It wasn’t Visrel’s fault that the Fallen hideout was bigger on the inside than what appeared on initial scans and all were hiding underground. He should’ve double checked the scans. It was too late now, taking cover behind a crate of scrap metal, deep in the caves with no backup. 

Bullet fire singed the wall next to him. He swore under his breath and looked around for a new hiding space. Some Dregs were starting to close in while the Captain at the far end of the room gave no sign of easing up. It would be easier to run full force and risk a revival if need be. He just hated going through the process and would rather not. Another box sat a few feet away, larger and more sturdy than his current choice. Taking a deep breath, Visrel sprinted over. 

He felt another barrage barely scrape the edges of his armor as he ran. A shot also passed close to his head, slamming into a charging Dreg. Visrel risked looking around the area once he was safe behind the new cover. The walls of the cave were high and there were a few outcroppings that could potentially hide a sniper. With that thought, there was a crackle over the coms. 

“Left.” 

Visrel looked out of the cover and to the left. A rouge Shank was getting too close for comfort. He aimed down the sights of his scout rifle and was prepared to one-shot before another well placed sniper bolt popped it, sending shrapnel flying. The Dregs were frantically looking for the sniper now. He used their shifting focus to take out a few more as well as throw his swarm grenade. Visrel ducked back behind the grate as micro-explosions went off.

“Left again.” 

There were two shots this time that went off before he even looked. The rest of the Dregs had been taken care of, leaving the Fallen Captain. The Captain was beginning to rush as well. Visrel didn’t hesitate and leapt out from cover with knife in hand. A shot took out its shields while he managed to throw the knife into the throat. There was a spout of blood as the Captain tried desperately to remove it. Visrel got to him first, pushing the blade up and in more before ripping it out. The Captain fell dead as blood pooled from its neck. 

Silence filled the cavern once more. Visrel took off his helmet to take a few deep breaths, allowing himself to relax a bit. He wiped the blood off of his knife before sticking it back in the sheath. There was the sound of shifting rocks behind him and a small thump as the sniper left his hiding spot. Visrel looked over his shoulder with a grin. 

“Warn a guy next time, will you?” 

Crow gave a soft smile as well. “It’s not often you’re caught off guard.” 

“Not to be the bearer of bad news,” Shadow, Visrel’s Ghost, suddenly interjected, “but we’re still in the middle of a Fallen hideout. Someone must’ve heard those shots. We should get moving.” 

“Just give me a sec to catch my breath.” 

Visrel leaned up against the makeshift cover with his helmet in his hands, trying to slow his racing heart with deep breaths. There was a considerable amount of blood from the Captain on it. He made a noise in the back of his throat and began trying to wipe it off. It only made it worse, smearing the blood along the side of the helmet. 

“Here, let me.” 

Crow walked over and took the helmet from Visrel’s hands. He then pulled something from his pocket and began wiping away the blood. Visrel could only watch him work, not knowing what else to say. His cheeks began to burn. 

“Do you always have something on hand for cleaning blood,” he asked. 

“It was Glint’s idea. There.” Crow handed the helmet back over, now spotless. 

“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but why are you here?” Visrel ran his fingers over the visor to try and stop his racing thoughts. “I really hope that didn’t sound bad. I guess I’m just confused as to why you’re here on Earth? I mean, you’re free to go wherever of course. I just didn’t know you’d be-”

“I thought you could use some back-up,” Crow said, cutting him off. 

“I mean, I didn’t. At least, I thought I didn’t . . .”

Visrel turned his attention towards the dead Fallen Captain. Blood was still oozing out of the neck wound and would for quite some time. 

“We made a promise not too long ago to always have each other’s backs. I may have . . . learned about your mission and wanted to do some recon of my own. To make sure you were safe.” Crow put a hand on Visrel’s shoulder.

“Probably would’ve had to go through a couple revives if not for your shooting. So thank you.” 

“I guess I’ve kept my vow then.” 

A loud screech pierced through the caverns. Both Guardians jumped and reached for their weapons. Though what Visrel noticed first was the way Crow was standing. He was physically blocking him from the end of the cavern that went deeper underground, the way the screech resonated from. Most of the time he hardly noticed the height differences. But like this, it was obvious Crow had seen more action than just from the view of a sniper’s nest. Visrel tried not to think too much about it but couldn’t stop his mind from jumping to conclusions. 

He shook his head. Now was not the time to over-analyze thoughts and feelings. They could do that after they were above ground. Besides, he already knew they would decompress together before heading off to their own respective destinations when the mission was over. Right now, there was the matter of a giant shadow cascading on the walls of some unknown creature disturbed by their presence.

Visrel put back on his helmet and gripped his rifle close. Combat in close quarters is something he was more adept at. Should it come to another fight in the caverns, with Crow no longer having the advantage of being hidden, Visrel would have to step in. And so he did, putting Crow between him and the cavern’s entrance. 

“You’ve kept your vow. Now let me keep mine.”


	3. Cupid's Knife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel wakes up from a violent nightmare and Crow is there to comfort him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure if this prompt meant a fancy knife given as a present or the concept (forcing someone to only have good thoughts about someone and causing pain when they don't), so I went with the concept. General content warning for mild gaslighting and torture in the first part of this chapter. Don't worry, though. I only write happy endings.

_ Visrel was running. He didn’t know from what or where to. All he knew was that he had to keep moving. The landscape was barren save for a few piles of scrap metal and blood spots. It looked like he was somewhere in the Reef but he had no idea how he got here. Was he on a mission? Did the Vanguard send him out here? Or did he come on his own volition?  _

_ He attempted to summon Shadow while continuing his sprint. His hand came up empty. The Ghost was nowhere to be seen. Visrel cursed under his breath and started scanning the horizon for anything he could use as cover to catch his breath. His lungs were starting to burn. The muscles in his legs were straining with effort; only a matter of time before they gave out completely. But the landscape was completely barren in all directions.  _

_ There was a stabbing pain from his ankle and suddenly he was face planting into the dirt. Visrel rolled, looking behind him for the first time. The force he was running from was gone. Or at the very least in hiding.  _

_ Groaning, he clutched his now defective ankle and struggled to stand up. The pain was too much, and he barely managed to get into a crouching position before falling to the ground once more. He tried again to contact Shadow to no avail. His coms seemed to be dead as well. He was stranded.  _

_ “There you are,” a voice echoed across the plain. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”  _

_ Visrel whipped his head around to try and find the source of the voice. It sounded familiar but the pain made thinking hard. He clutched his temple as if to try and surface the memory of the voice’s owner. _

_ His back hit something then. He scrambled away to see who, or what, appeared behind him so suddenly. Relief flooded through him when he saw the face. Crow stared down at him, arms crossed, with an icy smile. It was an expression Visrel had never seen before. At least, not on Crow. It reminded him of a similar smile he saw back in the Prison of- _

_ Pain coursed through his body, causing him to curl up into the fetal position. It was as if all of his nerves were on fire. Though nothing seemed physically wrong with him, he couldn’t help but cry out.  _

_ “Tsk. None of that now.” Crow bent down and just looked at him. He cocked his head to the side.  _

_ Visrel managed to look him in the eyes and saw darkness swirling at the edges of his irises. It hit him now where he had seen that smile before and on who. And as that thought came to be, along with the emotions he had, another round of pain surged. He groaned and screwed his eyes shut. _

_ “It’ll go away as soon as we get rid of those pesky thoughts of yours.”  _

_ “Crow . . .” Visrel managed to choke out. It was in his lungs now, making it difficult to breath. Crow sighed and stood up.  _

_ “No.”  _

_ That was when the fear truly set in. Did he remember now? Was this going to be the end of it? Was Crow gone and Uldren now back? He couldn’t remember if there was ever a case where a Guardian got their memories back from their previous life. Some do research, but usually it’s forbidden. It was hard to concentrate on coherent thoughts as Visrel’s heart raced. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t let this happen.  _

_ “You . . . you’re . . .” He didn’t know what to say.  _

_ “My, you Hunters sure are perceptive.” Crow, no, Uldren’s voice dripped with sarcasm. He did a small twirl and bowed. “The forsaken Prince has returned at last.” _

_ Rage swelled in Visrel and he grit his teeth. How dare he be so confident now of all times. He had a chance to redeem himself. Now it was gone. Something told Visrel that nothing has changed, and Uldren will be just as cocky- _

_ Again the pain came, this time in tenfold. Visrel threw his head back and screamed. It felt like his atoms were being ripped apart. Through his screams, he could hear Uldren laugh and begin to walk in circles around him.  _

_ “Like I said before, the pain will go away when you learn to love me.”  _

_ The words almost didn’t make it through. All Visrel could think about was the pain, which was unbearable. He has never felt anything like this before. But if Uldren was telling the truth, it could all be over. He just had to give in. Of course, he hated Uldren and everything that he did. Crow, on the other hand, he felt the opposite towards.  _

_ Visrel thought about the other man that shared Uldren’s face. When he did, the pain began to lessen. It was hard to keep up the thoughts when he could still hear Uldren’s footsteps. Slipping caused more rounds of pain. He tried hard to focus only on Crow and nothing else. It took some time but eventually the pain disappeared. Visrel relaxed his body as exhaustion overcame him. A hand held his chin, making him open his eyes.  _

_ “That’s a good Guardian. You know I would never lie to you, right?” _

_ Visrel swallowed and nodded, not wanting to risk the pain again. It didn’t help that he was wearing Crow’s clothes. He could still see the difference between the two men in his expression and his eyes. Crow would never look at him with such malice. With that thought, the pain began to creep in again.  _

_ “What are you going to do to me?” Visrel asked.  _

_ “Nothing, of course. You know I just hate to see you in pain.”  _

_ Uldren moved his hand to the back of Visrel’s neck and leaned in close. From this proximity, Visrel could smell the Ether rolling off of him. If there were any doubt about who the man in front of him was, that only confirmed it was definitely not Crow. He tried to move backwards a bit but Uldren held him in place. And then Uldren’s lips were against his own.  _

_ He immediately shoved the other man away. Uldren fell to the ground with a sneer, quickly standing back up. His eyes flashed with anger and once again Visrel was in pain. It was the worst one yet. He thought for sure he was going to pass out from it. But of course, all he could do was writhe on the ground with Uldren standing over him.  _

_ “You’ll either submit or you’ll suffer. It’s your choice, really.”  _

_ Visrel only screamed in response.  _

* * *

Visrel screamed himself awake, shooting up in his bedroll. The phantom pain from the nightmare made his limbs numb as his heart raced in his ears. An echo of his scream sounded in the forest around him. On the other side of the now burnt out campfire, Crow shot up from his bedroll as well, looking around frantically. Visrel couldn’t look at him. 

“Guardian?” Shadow materialized next to him. Visrel didn’t, or couldn’t, respond. He brought his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Panic was settling into his system now. 

“What is it?” Crow was up now and making his way over to the two with his own Ghost by his side. He loosely held a gun and scanned the treeline. “Did something happen?” 

Again, he couldn’t respond. His breathing was becoming labored and he knew it was only a matter of time before a full blown attack started. He bent his head down, which gave a space for Shadow to rest on the back of his neck. 

“It was just nightmares. He’ll be fine.” 

Visrel shut his eyes and focused on his breathing. Everything inside of him was screaming to run, to get away from Crow as fast as he could. Though he knew he was safe now. The nightmare was over. There was no danger here, out in the middle of the forest. Maybe a few straggling Fallen but that was it. And certainly Crow meant him no harm. It was all just a dream. 

There was a shifting beside him. A hand landed on his back and it took a substantial amount of self control not to bolt. The touch was soft, and Crow rubbed circles on Visrel’s back. He wasn’t sure if it was actually helping or making things worse. He tried not to think about Crow and only the touch. 

“We’ve seen our share of panic attacks too,” Glint said. 

“It seems to be a common side effect in our line of work.” 

The comment caught Visrel so off guard that he felt a laugh escape his still closed throat. 

They sat like that for a few minutes, with Visrel focusing on his breathing, Shadow on his neck, and Crow rubbing his back. The nightmare eventually began to fade and lose its clarity. However, the events didn’t change. Visrel could still remember what the pain felt like and see Uldren’s cold face. He could still feel the hand gripping his chin and the pressure on his lips. 

Eventually, Visrel picked his head up. A breeze cooled the drying sweat on his forehead. His breathing was now at a manageable level. He shifted, moving away from Crow and his touch, still unable to look at the man’s face. 

“I’ll be alright,” he said. 

“That crack in your voice says otherwise.” 

Visrel waved his hand in dismissal. “My voice always cracks.” 

Crow hummed and silence fell between them. Sounds of the forest filled the empty space. An owl hooted off in the distance. They didn’t say it but both were listening to see if anyone heard the scream. It didn’t seem like anything picked up on the two Guardians. 

“I’ve found that talking about the nightmares can stop them from recurring,” Crow said after a while. 

“I . . .”

“If you want to. I’m not going to force you. But I’ll stay up with you as long as you need me.”

Visrel sighed and closed his eyes. He probably should just tell him what the nightmare was about, or at least vague about it. He didn’t want there to be anything left unsaid between the two of them. There were times that he thought maybe talking about what he and Petra did to him, but thought better of it. These nightmares could be the result of that guilt now. 

“I was running. And I got caught. The person who caught me . . . did something. Any time I had bad thoughts about them, I was in indescribable pain.” Visrel swallowed, not sure if he wanted to continue. Crow remained silent next to him. 

“I was . . . forced to only think good things about them.” 

“Was this person a good person?” 

Visrel glanced over. “No, they weren’t.” 

Crow nodded in response. Even in the darkness, Visrel could make out the worried expression on his face. His eyes glowed like embers. It was hard to imagine the man before him would ever willingly cause him pain. Still, the thoughts lingered like shadows in his mind. It was hard to shake them. He never wanted to think that way of Crow again. 

Visrel looked back at the fire pit, not sure what to say next. There was really nothing to say. Though he did feel a little bit better just getting the nightmare out in the open. He didn’t want to tell Crow it was Uldren he saw and risk tension forming between the two of them. 

A hand touched his shoulder and he jumped away. Fear shot through him involuntarily. He crouched away from Crow, putting a hand on the hilt of his knife in defense. Crow’s eyes widened in shock. He kept his hand suspended where Visrel’s shoulder had been. It took a few seconds for Visrel to snap out of it and realize what he was doing. He dropped his stance, sitting on the ground, and hugged his knees once again. 

“I’m sorry.” 

He refused to look in Crow’s direction for fear of what he might see. If it would be Uldren’s sneer or Crow’s pain. He didn’t know which one was worse. He heard shifting as Crow stood up.

“No, I’m the one who should be saying sorry. I can leave if you need me to. Glint and I can go sleep-”

“No! I mean . . .” Visrel risked a glance over. “Please, don’t go. It’s not your fault. Please. Stay.” 

Thankfully, Crow’s face held neither contempt or disgust. All Visrel saw on his face was worry. It made him feel even worse. He had to fix this somehow. 

“Please,” he said again, not entirely sure what he was asking for. 

Crow looked from Visrel, to the edge of the forest, and back again. After what seemed like an eternity, he walked over and sat down next to him. He was still about a foot away and was careful not to touch him. 

Visrel sighed. “Don’t blame yourself. You can’t change the past.” 

“Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean I still don’t share his face. And before you say anything,” Crow held up a hand when Visrel opened his mouth, “I can take a guess on who the person in your nightmare was.” 

“You’re not him. And you never will be.”

“Oh, I’m aware of that, don’t worry. I’m just worried about how long it’ll take for you to convince yourself of that as well.” 

He moved closer to Crow until they were almost shoulder to shoulder but not quite touching. His heart still raced with fear though his thoughts have slowed to a manageable rate. Visrel knew it wouldn’t always be like this. One day he’ll look at Crow and not see the one who betrayed them all. One day Uldren will be nothing more but a fragment of shared history. 

Visrel looked down and saw their hands almost touching. Slowly, he moved his hand to cover Crow’s. The man didn’t pull away which eased his nerves by a lot. He moved closer still, until their shoulders were touching, hand in hand. He gave Crow’s hand a small squeeze which was returned.

“I’ll get there eventually. Every day, you remind me how different you two are. And every day I see your connection to the Light grow. Your name is Crow and you are a Guardian. Nothing will ever change that. Especially not a stupid nightmare.” 

He was pleased to hear Crow laugh at this. Then he was suddenly aware of the exhaustion beginning to take over. The adrenalin high was coming to a close. He yawned, absentmindedly leaning his head on Crow’s shoulder. He didn’t care anymore. All he wanted to do was rest now that his mind finally accepted he wasn’t in danger. 

“Get some rest. I’ll keep a lookout for a little while longer just in case, alright?” 

“Mmm.” 

Forming a coherent response was impossible. He was done thinking for the night and let his mind rest. Hands were moving him until he was no longer sitting up. He felt leather on his cheek and realized Crow had moved him so his head was resting in his lap. Were it any other night, he probably would've been internally freaking out from embarrassment. But he was too tired for that tonight. 

When sleep finally overtook him, he dreamed about only light, flying, and a comforting hand on his back.


	4. Fighting Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel and Crow get boxed in during a fight and have to improvise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This'll be the shortest one. I'm still working on writing fighting scenes and college work has me burnt out already.

They were coming in from all sides now, boxing them between a crumbling wall and a cliff’s edge. Visrel and Crow squeezed themselves behind their makeshift cover as tight as they could. Ammunition blasted their hiding spot. Both were out of breath and feeling the exhaustion settling in. The fight had gone on too long. 

“I don’t know how much longer I can go,” Visrel whispered. He didn’t want the opposition to hear him. 

“We’ve thinned down their forces substantially. But . . .” Crow peeked out over the side of the wall. Visrel pulled him back as a shot passed where his head had been. 

“But we’re still outnumbered.” 

Visrel finally took a moment to examine their surroundings. A light flurry of snow had begun to fall, adding to the already foot on the ground. Moving anywhere was going to be difficult. The wall they were hiding behind would hold for now. That was, until, the opposition made their way around the wall. They had to come up with something quick before that happened. 

Then he remembered something. Visrel bent down and activated his swarm grenade. He would have to move quickly in order for this to work. He began to pack snow around the fragments of the grenade, praying to the Traveler that none of them went off in his hands. Eventually, Crow realized what he was doing and bent down to help. 

With swarm fragments in hand, Visrel and Crow threw the makeshift snowballs over the wall at the other Guardians who initiated the snowball fight. The fragments seeked out their targets and light work of them. The five other Guardians were covered in snow and shrapnel. 

Visrel couldn’t help but let out a laugh of excitement. He turned to Crow and saw the other man grinning as well. The high fived and took a moment to relax against the wall. They watched the Guardians pick themselves back up, give nods of approval, and returned to whatever they had been doing before the fight was initiated. 

“Is this a common occurrence around here?” Crow asked after the last of the Guardians left. 

“When the first snowfall of the season hits, it’s almost impossible to go anywhere without getting dragged into a fight.” 

Crow shook his head. “And are they always so aggressive?” 

“Oh, this is nothing compared to the Crucible. There’s a reason why I don’t even attempt it, regardless of Shaxx’s insistence.” Visrel shrugged. 

“I think you and I would make a decent team.” 

Visrel laughed awkwardly, stepping out from the wall and beginning to walk back to the Farm. It’s not that he didn’t think the two of them wouldn’t do well. He just had his own personal reasons for not wanting to participate. Mainly because he didn’t want to kill any of his fellow Guardians, even though he knew they would be fine. 

They were just outside of the settlement when Crow stopped him. He put a hand on his shoulder and turned him around. Visrel was about to ask what was happening before he got a facefull of snow. It was so cold that it burned his skin. He stumbled away, wiping snow from his eyes. He blinked a few times and saw Crow laughing. He couldn’t help but laugh along as well.


	5. Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel takes a chance, immediately regrets, then finds out he should've taken it a lot sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special surprise at the end of this one. Hint: you can actually see what Visrel looks like.

“I thought you were afraid of heights?” 

“I wouldn’t say afraid. More like I prefer to have a good handle on whatever I’m climbing instead of attempting almost impossible jumps.” 

“So you’re not afraid of looking down right now? Because we’re really high up.” 

“Of course I’m not going to look down.” 

Visrel ignored the laugh from Crow and continued to scale the cliff wall. While a fall from this height would certainly hurt, it would probably be survivable. Still, Visrel refused to look down until they were safe on top of the cliff. 

Heights didn’t scare him. He was just extremely clumsy and has had one too many revives from falling. The fear was getting harder and harder to push down the more falls he’s taken. Because of that, even climbing things he’s done a million times, can feel like a test of mental strength. Such as the climb they were currently doing. This rockface was more familiar to him than most of the Last City. 

The climb only lasted a few minutes, though. Eventually, they reached the top. Visrel shielded his eyes from the setting sun and looked out over the horizon. Miles away sat the Last City with the Traveler hovering above it. Ships could be seen coming and going from the port as Guardians left Earth for various missions. Next to them, a river turned into a waterfall at the other edge of the cliff. 

“Oh my gods . . .” Crow muttered under his breath. Visrel looked over at him and grinned. 

“See? I told you the hike would be worth it.” 

He gave a low whistle. “You weren’t kidding. I’ve never seen anything so bright.” 

Visrel walked over to the edge next to the waterfall and sat down. He leaned back on his arms, taking the view in. Crow came and sat down next to him. The two existed in the moment for a while, just enjoying the scenery and each other’s company. Of course, Visrel felt like he needed to fill the silence with aimless ramblings. 

“I like to come up here to think, you know? It’s nice to find a place that no one else knows about, especially when the entire human population lives behind those walls. I mean there’s plenty of hiding spots in the Tower. But everyone knows about them. No one knows about this one.” 

He looked over and saw that Crow was just staring at the City. It wasn’t clear if the other man was listening or not. He didn’t care either way. He was just happy he could share this place with him. Not even Sacha knew about this place. Or even any of the Vanguard. This was his own little escape. 

There were only two downsides about this location. One was that the waterfall could mask a sneak attack. While it wasn’t louder than a ship, and the only way up was scaling the cliff, it could hide a potential attack. Though that was only if it was known someone was up here. Visrel was thankful that hasn’t happened yet. 

The other was the height. He looked down at the canopy below him and felt that creeping anxiety make his chest tighten. More often than not, he couldn’t stop himself from imagining a fall. There was no real danger, and he wouldn’t stay dead very long from impacting. Still, the fear was still very much there and real. He had to distract himself from it. 

“But yeah, when you spend most of your time in civilization crowded with other people, it can get very overwhelming. Sacha, a Warlock friend of mine, actually has a workshop at the Tower that he keeps secret. Of course, he lets me stop by sometimes and we talk. He’s not good with people so usually I do all of the talking.” 

Crow laughed, turning to face him. From this angle, the sunset made his eyes glow brighter. Visrel swallowed and smiled back. 

“You? Doing all of the talking? I can hardly imagine it.”

Visrel rolled his eyes. “Ha ha. Very funny. I actually talk only slightly more than most.” 

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Right. Because if I were to ask you about Hive hierarchy and throne-room energy distributions, you _wouldn’t_ talk for hours.” 

This time it was Crow who rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. “At least it’s useful information. And you’re welcome. I don’t see you studying the forces of evil in order to better effectively take them down. I could also give you a few pointers on ledge jumping as well.”

The last comment caused him to punch Crow in the shoulder. This only made him laugh more, a sound Visrel has been trying more and more to get out of him. He felt blood rush into his cheeks and nervously ran a hand through his hair. There was another reason he wanted to bring Crow up here besides just showing him the view, though he wasn’t sure if he could do it. And then he moved before he could stop himself. 

He shifted closer to Crow who was still smiling at him. His heart beat louder than the rushing water when he gathered up as much confidence as he could. Slowly, he placed a hand on Crow’s cheek and drew him in for a kiss. 

The other man didn’t pull away at first, but Visrel was still mortified about what he was doing that he cut the kiss short. He quickly looked away from Crow, not wanting to meet his gaze. Breathing was becoming a bit difficult and his cheeks felt like they were on fire. He couldn’t believe he just did that. 

“I’m sorry! I don’t know what came over me. I just got caught up in the moment and it was something that was on my mind so I just went for it. I didn’t even think I was going to do that. It just kinda happened.” 

Visrel took a moment to breathe and glanced over. It was hard to read Crow’s expression, which made him even more nervous. He looked more shocked than disgusted. Visrel looked away and down at his hands now resting in his lap. Anxiety began to kick in. 

“I’m really really sorry. I wasn’t thinking and I should’ve asked you first if that was something you’d be interested in instead of just going for it. It’s just that I’ve been building up to this moment and I was afraid that if I didn’t do it now I never would. And I just hope that this doesn’t make things between us worse because I don’t think-”

“Stop.” 

He shut his mouth as quickly as he could. He really messed this up, didn’t he? Visrel could feel his throat tightening at the thought of screwing up this relationship he had with Crow. They’ve grown so close in recent months and now it was going to be all over because he decided to take a risk. He swallowed the growing lump in his throat. A hand reached over and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look over.

“Have I ever told you that you talk too much?” Crow asked. His face had softened and there was a small smile. 

Visrel tried not to meet his eyes. “Yes. A few times actually.” 

“Mmm. And of those times, how many have you actually stopped talking?” 

“None.” 

“We’ll have to work on that.”

Crow moved his hand to the back of Visrel’s neck, drawing him in closer. Visrel was frozen and unsure of what was happening. His mind began to race as his thoughts bounced from point to point. Maybe he didn’t mess up after all. But he didn’t want to think about what that could possibly mean for the two of them. 

“I-I mean if you actually want me to shut-up sometimes, all you have to do is ask,” he stuttered. “I don’t mean to be annoying I just-” 

This time it was Crow who initiated the kiss, guiding Visrel in. His eyes went wide at first in disbelief. But quickly he settled into the kiss. Crow’s lips were chapped and tasted of salt, probably from the climb up here. And he was gentle, which surprised Visrel just a bit, but he wasn’t complaining. It took some time but eventually he began to kiss back. 

Slowly, just like before, Visrel raised a hand to cup Crow’s cheek and grabbed the front of his cloak with the other, afraid that he would disappear if he let go. He felt Crow’s other hand settle on his waist and pull him in closer. 

He wanted more, though he was afraid to move. He was also content to stay like this forever. However, as if sensing what he was thinking, Crow began to deepen the kiss. His grip tightened and suddenly it was as if they couldn’t get enough of each other. Visrel parted his lips slightly to breathe a bit and wrapped his arms around Crow’s neck. 

Crow’s hand moved up to tangle in Visrel’s hair. He couldn’t help but make a noise in the back of his throat and push into him, opening his mouth more. The time for caution was over. Every thought Visrel had now was _more,_ and _Crow,_ and how _perfect_ this was, and how perfect _he_ was. He couldn’t stop himself from pushing his tongue into Crow’s mouth, wanting _more._

He was met with little resistance, realizing that Crow was trying to do the same to him. Visrel let him, letting the hand in his hair guide him now. More sounds escaped from his throat but he didn’t care. 

Eventually it had to come to an end. They both separated, resting their foreheads together, wearing goofy smiles. The sun had begun to sink below the horizon at this point. Not that Visrel didn’t want to stay here forever and not worry about anything else, but the trek back was easier to do with light. 

“That was . . .” Visrel trailed off. 

“Speechless for once?” Crow laughed, loosening his grip. “Finally. If this is all that takes to quiet you, we’ll have to do this more often.” 

“I could say the same thing to you.” 

They sat there for a minute longer in each other’s arms, not wanting to let go just yet. All Visrel could think about was how soon the next time would come. And that it would never be soon enough.


	6. Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sacha comes clean about his feelings.

Sacha winced, immediately regretting even saying anything in the first place. He really did not have the energy to have this conversation today. Especially not with Visrel, who had the biggest grin. Sacha turned away from him and pretended to start fiddling with something on the other end of the workshop. 

“So it’s true then! Oh man, you’ve got it bad. Your face is as red as your hair.” 

“Shut it, or you’ll get a linear fusion round right through that thick skull of yours.” Sacha tried to keep the nerves out of his voice. 

“I mean, it could be worse, I suppose. You could have a crush on the Drifter or Ikora. Or Zavala, of all people. Besides, everyone loves Banshee.” 

He didn’t bother replying. Maybe if he ignored the Hunter, he’ll go away. Like a Dreg. Though he doubted he would be that lucky.

In the meantime, he busied himself with a pile of scrap metal. It was about time that he started organizing the various piles around his workshop. They were starting to become a working hazard. The one he currently occupied himself with looked like it could topple at any moment and pin him underneath. He knew he was definitely not strong enough to get himself free if it came to that. Visrel wouldn’t be of any help either. 

“If you need a few pointers on asking someone out, I’m not the person to ask, but I’m sure there are plenty of other Guardians around that could help out. Rex-2, that Titan that’s really friendly with everyone, might have some good advice. I know people and feelings aren’t really your thing but I think you could make it work if you wanted to . . .”

Sacha stopped listening then. He wasn’t really listening in the first place, carefully trying to organize without causing an avalanche. Advice was the last thing he wanted. The less people knew about this crush, or whatever it was he was feeling, the better. He didn’t need, or wanted, the attention of everyone in the Tower. 

The piece in his hand suddenly slipped, and he felt the balance of the pile change. It began to tip forward. Before he could jump out of the way, a broken piece of a jumpship wing pinned him to the ground. There was a crack and Sacha began to taste blood. 

From this angle, he could see Visrel run out of the workshop to go get help. Thank the Traveler he didn’t attempt to lift the wing himself. Sacha wasn’t certain how long he had until the weight crushed his insides, but he knew it was going to be soon. Priz, Sacha’s black and red Ghost, appeared by his head. 

“I’ve calculated multiple broken ribs and at least two fractures along the spine.” There was a popping noise. “Make that three.” 

“Any internal bleeding?” 

“Not yet. A rib is getting dangerously close to a lung however.” 

As if by instinct, Sacha drew in a sharp breath, which ended up being a mistake. The weight on top of him seemed to intensify. Priz began to fly around the pile to see if there was some way he could help. Worst case scenario was a rez. While inconvenient, Sacha typically bounced back within a day or so. 

The doors to the workshop opened again and he breathed out a sigh of relief. Although it had only been about a minute since Visrel left, it seemed like the longest minute of his life. There was another crack and he grit his teeth. The adrenaline that was keeping the pain at bay was starting to be less effective. It felt as if someone had taken a sword to his side. 

“Grab that metal rod over there. We’re going to have to use it as a lever to lift the wing.” 

Banshee bent down in front of him. He scanned Sacha over, trying to assess where the best place was to create the fulcrum. 

“How are you holding up?” 

“I’ve been-” Pain shot through him. Sacha bent his head down, taking in a sharp breath. Talking was not a good idea at the moment. Even the slightest movement caused his bones to shift and misplace themselves more.

“Here.” 

Banshee stood back up as Visrel came over with the rod. Together, they maneuvered it right next to Sacha and pushed it down. The metal groaned but he felt the weight beginning to lessen. Once again, Banshee bent down and pulled him out from underneath. Sasha was about to help though thought better of it. Thankfully, they managed to get him out. 

Sacha lay there on the ground for a minute while Priz ran diagnostics. A warm feeling began in his chest as Priz healed him, covering him in a soft light. The warm feeling ran through his entire body. The pain in his side became a dull ache after a while. He’ll still be sore, but at least he didn’t have to worry about a punctured lung. When he finally managed to get to his feet, he realized Visrel was gone. Banshee, on the other hand, was examining his workbench, which was occupied by his current project. 

“Thank you for the assistance.” Sacha rolled his neck. “It would’ve been a messy rez otherwise.” 

“Don’t mention it. Also, is this a dismantled Sparrow?” 

He blinked a few times, trying to figure out what Banshee was talking about. Then he remembered the project he was working on. Sacha coughed awkwardly and made his way over to the workbench. 

“It is. It’s a . . . special order.” 

“For the underground Sparrow race?” 

“Possibly.” 

There was no point in lying. They were calling it an “underground race” but everyone in the Tower knew it was happening. Sacha didn’t care either way, really. Glimmer was Glimmer. And if Visrel was going to keep coming to him for requests, he needed a way to pay for supplies. As well as funding for his own inventions. 

Sacha was about to say something else when his knees buckled. He leaned forward to catch himself on the workbench. The phantom pain of the broken ribs beat in his side in time to his heart. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Next to him, Banshee placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Easy there. It’ll take a bit for the Light to fully heal internal damage. That’s something they usually don’t tell you younger Guardians. Let them figure it out for themselves.” 

“Mmm.” 

He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Sure enough, the stabbing pain he felt earlier in his lungs was there. It didn’t hinder him too much, but he definitely wasn’t going to do any more heavy lifting in the next day. Which was a shame because he actually had to in order to finish this commission. 

“Do you want some help with your special order?” 

Sacha looked over and offered a small smile. “Actually, that would be phenomenal.” 

The two then set to work as if they’ve been doing this for years. A few times Sacha stumbled or had to stop to breathe. But eventually he picked himself back up and continued on. Each time, however, Banshee was there to make sure he didn’t hurt himself more. Little did the other Guardian know that Sacha was already crushing hard.   



	7. Adored

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sacha gains the attention of a few lifeforms in the Tower, but none of them are from the one he really wants.

None of it made any sense. Nothing changed in his normal routine and it wasn’t like he was feeding the stray cats around the Last City. Sacha just couldn’t figure out why every feline within a hundred mile radius decided that  _ he _ was their new best friend. 

“Come on,” he muttered under his breath as a golden tabby wound between his legs. 

He shifted the box in his hands to get a better grip on it. The cat only looked up at him. Sighing, he continued walking through the streets, occasionally adjusting the box in order not to spill metal all over the creature at his feet. It didn’t take long for a couple more to join in. It was starting to become impossible to traverse through the crowded streets. 

Eventually, he decided he needed a break. Maybe the cats were just lonely. He could pet them for a few minutes and they might leave him alone. They were like some Guardians he knew in that respect.

Sacha walked over into a small alley, put down the box, and sat with his back to a wall of one of the buildings. The second he was sitting down, the first cat to join him in his walk leapt into his lap. He froze, looking down at the small thing which was now kneading into his Warlock’s cloak. It hardly seemed to care that there was a person underneath that fabric. The other cats that had joined him were now pawing at his hands. He made sure to pet all of them. 

He thought back to the time he noticed a few Hunters attempting to coax a cat out of the tree in the courtyard. The poor thing was terrified of these four armored giants trying to grab at it. Sacha remembered waiting until they gave up, walking slowly up to the tree. He had stuck his hand out to the cat. The cat sniffed him before eventually jumping down into his arms. 

Sacha looked down at the cat in his lap. He supposed he would be scared too if he were that small. When he first got his Light, he felt small then. People talked about wars he wasn’t in, deaths that he never witnessed, and missing friends whom he never met. Visrel told him about the Red War and all that they lost. He also told him about what happened in the Prison of Elders. Even though the Hunter was much shorter than he was, it was those talks that made him feel minuscule. His friend has seen a lot more than he has.

But before he met Visrel, Sacha went to the Moon and faced an army from hell. 

It was hard to believe there was a point in his life when he wasn’t spending all of his time fighting forces that would otherwise destroy everything he knows and cares about, researching on how to stop said forces. Of course, that was why he was brought back. There was something underneath the surface that caused Priz to need to seek him out. The little Ghost has taken to calling him a “trademark Warlock”. 

“Huh, well isn’t that an interesting sight.” 

Sacha noticed that at some point in his daydreaming Banshee had appeared in the alley’s entrance. He wondered what he must look like, sitting in a shady alley covered in cats. Not to mention the crate of unspecified materials sitting near him. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen them swarm someone like that. There’s a joke there,” Banshee said with a laugh. 

“There is?”

He raised an eyebrow, looking at the other Guardian in confusion. Nothing about his current position could be turned into a joke. He was just sitting with a bunch of cats and taking a rest. 

“I suppose not.” 

Sacha shifted his focus back to his other companions. In the short amount of time since he’s sat down, two more cats have joined in his break. There were now five in total surrounding him. At this point, he might as well start carrying scraps whenever he had to travel through the City. 

“You’re more than welcomed to join us,” he said, looking back up. He was actually surprised to see Banshee still standing there. 

“I appreciate it. But I’ve things I have to do. I think, anyways. Just wanted to stop and make sure those cats weren’t causing you any harm.” 

“I’m sure I can handle my own against a few cats, if it were to come to that.” Sacha tried to sound light to keep the disappointment out of his voice. 

“You’d probably be fine. It seems like they love you.” 

Sacha offered a soft smile as his heart clenched. Gods, this feeling was getting harder and harder to push down. He hated that he couldn’t even find the words to describe his emotions. It also didn’t help that he wasn’t sure what he wanted from these feelings. Maybe to be loved wouldn’t be so bad, if it was from someone in particular and not just gathering the attention of a bunch of cats. 

“Maybe some other time then?” he asked. 

“Yeah. Some other time then. When we both don’t have to give our attention to other things.” 

Banshee laughed, shook his head, and began to walk away. Sacha watched him go until he was out of sight. When he was sure that nobody else was paying him any mind, he sighed and tipped his head back, closing his eyes. 

“You adore him.” 

“Shut up, Priz.”


	8. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel finds an unusual spot to spend a night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a rough mental day today so this one's very very short. I may come back and work on it again before the month is over though. The next one will be longer.

Visrel grunted, heaving himself up and over. The metal beneath his hands burned through his gloves from being in the sun all day. He stood up, brushed himself off, and turned around to help Crow up as well. Soon, both of them were standing on top of the tallest part of the Tower with the Last City stretched before them. It was actually a miracle that nobody else was up here. 

“What is with you Hunters and heights?” 

“Well some of us have to compensate somehow.” 

Crow laughed. “Right. Is that why you’re-” He stopped talking, and Visrel guessed it was because he finally noticed either the view or the makeshift picnic place setting on the ground. 

“This is probably really stupid and such a cliche. But I wanted to do something nice for you and thought this would be a good spot for a picnic. We don’t have to worry about being interrupted and still get to enjoy a nice view,” Visrel began rambling. 

He walked over to the picnic set up and began taking out the items he packed: simple sandwiches, a bottle of some alcohol that he was promised was sweet and wouldn’t make it so they couldn’t get back down, and items for s’mores for dessert. That last one was Shadow’s idea. 

“No no, it’s . . . it’s perfect. Thank you.” 

Visrel turned to look back at Crow, grinning. He patted the spot next to him. Crow gave a small smile before coming over to join him. The two enjoyed their meal and talked well into the evening, when the Traveler became even brighter than the sun.


	9. Bow And Arrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel attempts to learn a new weapon and it proves to be a challenge.

“I don’t understand why I have to learn how to use this thing when I have a perfectly good scout rifle and sniper rifles also exist.”

“Because, Visrel, bows are a lot more quiet than a gun, regardless of silencers. Now hush and pay attention.” 

Visrel resisted the urge to groan and instead did as he was told, turning to watch Crow once again knock an arrow and shoot it at the makeshift Vex dummy about 30 yards away. Of course, the arrow hit it square in the chest. He made it look so easy. Visrel supposed that he should actually learn how to use one of these things. There may come a job where a normal gun would be a death sentence. 

He attempted to follow Crow’s lead. Thankfully, they were using a regular bow and arrow from before the Golden Age. That way if he were to miss, it wouldn’t cause too much damage. Visrel knocked the arrow and brought up the bow, aiming down and towards the target. He remembered that he wasn’t actually supposed to aim right at the point he wanted to shoot at. There were more factors involved than just pointing and shooting. So he aimed it a little higher and let go. 

A stifled laugh came from Crow as the arrow missed the target completely. Visrel felt his cheeks burn from embarrassment. Angrily, he knocked another, drew his arm back, and let it fly. He glared as it missed even more than the first one

“Aren’t Hunters supposed to have the most patience?” 

Visrel grumbled, “You’re thinking of Warlocks.”

He resisted the urge to throw down the bow in frustration. A part of him knew that it was going to take some getting used to. Still he couldn’t help but strive for perfection the first time around. That was just who he was. 

“It’s all about form. Here, bring up your bow again,” Crow said, walking over. Visrel begrudgingly raised the bow. 

The other Guardian stepped behind him. Hands clamped down on his shoulders, pushing them back. They then adjusted his back elbow to push it up more. 

“You want to stand up straight. You’ll get a better angle and it’ll use less energy to pull back on the bow. Spread your legs out a bit more as well.” 

Visrel adjusted himself accordingly, trying to square his feet to his shoulders. He wasn’t used to having to keep up good posture. But it that’s what it took to master this dumb weapon, then so be it. The one time he’ll have to use it, he’ll be thankful that he knew how. Although, it was getting harder to concentrate with Crow standing so close to him. If he wasn’t blushing hard enough from earlier, he certainly was now. 

“Good, now keep a steady hold on the grip. Bows don’t have too much of a recoil but there can be some shakiness from letting go of the string. Tilt it slightly. The arrow has a better chance of flying straight if it’s resting on the bow.”

Crow reached around him and placed his hands over Visrel’s. It took everything inside of him to hold his composure. 

“Perfect. Take a deep breath, and let go.” 

Visrel breathed in the heavy smell of mint that no doubt was coming off the two of them. It was the Reefborn Awoken’s most defining feature. With both Guardian’s sharing the same heritage, it was impossible not to notice the scent. He held onto the breath a little bit too long, savoring the moment. 

When he let go, the arrow went flying straight into the dummy’s fake chest.

He could feel Crow’s chuckle reverberate through him. Neither of them moved from their positions. 

“Not bad. Of course, without any distractions or returning fire, that was a pretty straight shot.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say there weren’t distractions. I mean-” Visrel stepped away, suddenly realizing what he was saying. 

“You’re a lot better shot than me with this thing, no doubt. It’s kind of, I don’t know, intimidating I guess? Just watching you shoot bullseye after bullseye. I’m not used to having to . . . learn things I suppose.” Visrel coughed awkwardly and looked over at the dummy, hoping the flushing in his face would subside. 

“You’re actually catching on real fast,” Crow said. 

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” 

“Well . . .” Crow rolled his shoulder, placing a hand on the back of his neck. “I mean, you definitely could use some more training. That could’ve just been one lucky shot.” 

Visrel playfully socked Crow in the shoulder, causing them both to laugh. He definitely was going to need some more help before he even came close to mastering this thing. Something told him that the more powerful and modern bows were going to open up a new set of challenges or learning curves to overcome. But for now, he raised the bow and looked at Crow with a cocked eyebrow.

“So are you going to help me or what?”


	10. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel comes to terms again with what he's done and almost reveals the truth.

“It’s his crow’s nest!”

Visrel had stopped listening a while ago. The small room afelt smaller with each passing moment. He couldn’t believe that he stumbled upon this place, even by accident. But if the Traveler led him here, there must be a reason, though his chest clenched at the sight around him. He knew that at some point Crow was alive and living on Earth for a time. Otherwise, he never would’ve been resurrected by Glint. 

He couldn’t stop himself from walking back over to the cot and, next to it, the discarded burial shroud. Someone did in fact care enough to bring him back here to bury him. Visrel felt his breaths become shorter. Somewhere in the building there was a rumbling.

Suddenly, he was kneeling on the ground. He stopped caring about the reason they were here in the first place as he was brought back to not too long ago a murder he helped. While he wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger, he didn’t stop it either. Those defeated eyes will haunt him for the rest of his life. 

“Guardian?” Shadow asked, appearing beside him. “We need to get moving soon.” 

“I know. Just . . . give me a minute to collect my thoughts.” 

Visrel squeezed his eyes shut and wished for the overwhelming feeling of guilt to go away. Now was not the time for him to dwell on past mistakes. This was not why he was brought here. He was brought here to rectify the past and make amends. 

The anxiety still wouldn’t let up as breathing didn’t get any easier. What if that was part of the reason he was brought here? To face what _ he _ let happen? It’s not like the Traveler gives explicit reasons as to what it’s trying to communicate. This could just all be a coincidence. Not that it made Visrel any better. 

When he first met Crow, he couldn’t help but look at him the same way any other person who knew Uldren would. It was hard at first to keep the contempt out of his voice when he spoke to him. He knew it wasn’t fair to the other man. Crow was nothing like Uldren, which he proved time and time again. 

“Taken are closing in on your position,” Crow said over the coms. 

It was that worry in his voice that finally broke Visrel. He ripped off his helmet with tears in his eyes. This man put his blind trust into him, regardless of his own reservations and Visrel couldn’t even tell him the truth about their history. He knew that if he did it would cause more harm than good. He just didn’t want to feel this way anymore. 

He hugged himself while on his knees, trying to take deep breaths. If he didn’t get his feelings under control soon, he might do something he’ll really regret later. The words were there at the tip of his tongue. All he had to do was get Crow back on coms and tell him the truth. 

But then what would happen? What if Crow decides he wants nothing to do with Visrel anymore? What if he decides he doesn’t want to be a Guardian anymore? Hells, what if he decides to kill Visrel to avenge his past self?

No, now he was just being ridiculous. He was positive that if he ever did tell Crow about what happened, the man certainly wouldn’t go on a killing spree. That was one of the main differences between Crown and Uldren. Crow lived by the Light and respected everything. Worst case scenario in telling Crow would be he would lose a friend. Still, he felt like he needed to say something or otherwise the secret would consume him. 

“Visrel, we need to get moving. Please.” 

“Hold on, Shadow.” 

He took in a deep breath, held it, and slowly blew the air out of his mouth. The anxiety was finally beginning to subside. He focused his thoughts on all of the good things that Crow has done these past few months. His Light burns brighter everyday. 

Reaching over for his helmet, Visrel situated it back on. “Crow, there’s something I need to tell you.” 

“If you’re going to comment on my living habits-”

“No, it’s just . . .” Visrel sighed. 

“Don’t worry about us. Glint and I aren't the ones about to be swarmed. I think, anyways.” 

He couldn’t help but laugh. The confidence surely helped him feel better, although it was getting harder and hard to say the words out loud. 

_ I’m sorry,  _ he wanted to say.  _ I’m the reason you flinch every time a hand cannon goes off. I’m the reason you can’t show your face in the Tower. I’m the reason we’re even in this mess in the first place. _

“Thank you for coming along.” 

Crow laughed. “I should be the one thanking you. You’re the one who actually believed me when I said I thought the Traveler was trying to tell me something. Because I was right, as it turns out.”

“Yeah, you were right.”

“By the way, it’s starting to get crowded out here. How much longer until you reach the power source?”

Visrel stood up, taking one last look around the room. “Not much longer. On my way now.” 

There was a click and the coms shut off. The rumbling he heard earlier was starting to get louder as it sounded throughout the building. Thankfully, the signature hadn’t changed during his small breakdown. He looked over at the burial shroud once more. 

Crow was not only right about the Traveler’s communication but also about the fact that someone cared about the person he was, before Glint found him. 

What he didn’t know was that someone cared about the person he is  _ now.  _ If only Visrel could convince himself that he might one day be able to confess to Crow the truth about the past. But first he was going to start small. Someday, he’ll tell Crow how he really felt about him. 

About how much he loved him.


	11. Secret Admirer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sacha has been receiving gifts from an unknown source and has a conversation with Visrel about it.

They were small things, at first; a new plasma cutter, some smaller tools for detail work, a couple pieces of scrap metal to be melted down. What surprised Sacha the most was that he wasn’t sure how this person leaving supplies not only knew exactly what he needed but also how they got into the workshop in the first place. He started double checking the door after the first gift showed up. 

Visrel offered to stay the night a couple of times to see if he could catch whoever was breaking in. Sacha politely declined the offer. Odds are whoever it was would either be able to sneak past the Hunter or kill him immediately. Either way, he didn’t want to hear his friend’s whining for whatever outcome it would be. 

“But what if they take something! Or steal your blueprints for a project you’ve been working on? Or what if they lay in wait for you to come back and take out both you and Priz?” 

Sacha sighed. “If they really wanted me dead, they would’ve done it already.” 

The two were walking through the Tower at Visrel’s insistence that he got some sunlight and fresh air. He complained that the air filters in the basement work just fine, but the Hunter wasn’t having it. It was best to let him get his way. Otherwise, he would be dragged out. 

“We could talk to someone about putting some cameras in or changing your locks. Maybe even setting up a lookout?”

“Visrel, it’s fine. If someone was actually going to mess with my stuff . . .” Sacha looked over and cocked an eyebrow. He let the sentence hang for a moment before Visrel eventually admitted defeat, not meeting his eyes. 

“I know. I just don’t want anything to happen to you.” 

Sacha put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. “I’m as much stuck with you as you are with me.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, let’s get some ramen before the line gets too long.” 

The two proceeded to get into line at the small ramen shop at the top of the Tower. Usually they would get their meal and go back to the workshop to eat, trying to make it before their food got cold. This time they opted to sit in the courtyard and watch others, civilians and Guardians alike, go about their early evening. 

“Do you think you might have a secret admirer?” Visrel asked with a mouthful of noodles. 

“A secret admirer?” 

“Yeah, like someone who likes you and is trying to get your attention by leaving secret gifts for you to find.” 

He smirked. “Like you with Crow?” 

Visrel’s face went completely pale and Sacha was convinced the man was going to choke on his food. He didn’t, but he did quickly look around. It suddenly occurred to the Warlock that he probably shouldn’t have asked too loudly in mixed company. When it seemed like nobody was paying attention to their conversation, Visrel relaxed. 

“Yes, but that’s besides the point.” 

Sacha hummed in response and thought for a minute. There wasn’t anyone he could think of who could be responsible for the presents. The only person who even knew what supplies he needed was Visrel. And he definitely didn’t think he was the one behind this. 

“I don’t think that’s it, to be honest with you. I’m not exactly, ah, the relationship type.” 

“Oh, wait . . .” Visrel paused, screwing up his eyebrows. “You’re aromantic?” 

“What? No, I just mean I’m not sociable.” 

Visrel laughed. “Okay, see, I was worried I was going about this the wrong way. And say that you should’ve told me sooner. I know how awkward those conversations can be and wanted to make sure I wasn’t making you uncomfortable with all this talk about relationships and such.” 

“To be fair, I’ve never been in a relationship before. I could be like you and not care for the physical intimacy aspects of a relationship.” 

“Not today, but we really should have a conversation about the difference between  _ asexual  _ and  _ sex-repulsed _ .” Sacha heard the strain in his voice but Visrel hid what he was really thinking with a smile. “Anyways, what do you think it is then, if not someone who’s fallen in love with your charming personality?” 

“Don’t know. And I don’t care.” 

Sacha was starting to grow tired of this conversation. While it was true he wasn’t so much about interpersonal relationships, the idea that someone actually  _ does  _ care about him in that way was kind of nice. He didn’t want to spoil the thoughts by over analyzing and thinking too hard about the implications. So long as the gifts didn’t explode in his face, he was happy. 

The two finished their meals and proceeded to head back down to the workshop. Visrel insisted on coming down to make sure that his “secret admirer” didn’t take their absence as a sign to plant an ambush. They spent the long elevator ride down in silence. A few minutes later, they were standing outside the door to the workshop. Sacha was about to enter when Visrel put a hand on his chest. 

“Look.”

That’s when Sacha noticed there was a light coming from underneath the door. He remembered that he shut it off before they went to go get food. Someone was inside. He looked over at Visrel and nodded, pulling out his sidearm. Visrel already had a weapon in his hands. Slowly, Sacha pushed the door open with the tip of his gun.

There wasn’t an ambush waiting inside like he was expecting. In fact, there was nobody inside. Everything was still in its proper place and there wasn’t anything new added to the room. The two walked inside, back to back, still on high alert. Something glinted on the workbench. Sacha dropped his defensive stance and walked over to it. 

A piece of dark gunmetal had been hammered flat into a small 4x4 inch square. On one side was the Warlock sigil. And on the other was a bullet. The symbol looked familiar, but Sacha couldn’t quite place it. The little trinket also had a hole through the top with a black cord to turn it into a necklace. 

“It looks like my secret admirer, as you put it, strikes again,” he said with a smile. He put on the necklace without hesitating. 

That was the last of the gifts for a while. Sacha would be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed when no more surprises came. He wondered if maybe the person got bored of him. Nobody seemed overly friendly, so he assumed that was the case. Although, he did notice that whenever he went to go drop off materials or just stop by for a visit with Banshee, the other Guardian would look at the necklace with a smile on his face.


	12. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel has a panic attack and Crow is there to help ease the anxiety.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> General content warning for describing a panic attack. I based Visrel's symptoms/reactions off of my own experiences living with an anxiety disorder and attacks (twitches/aftermath clinginess).

Visrel could always tell when he was about to have a panic attack. First, there would be a tightening in his chest. No matter how deeply he breathed, he could never get enough oxygen. Then his hands would start to shake and he would begin twitching. This meant jerking his head back as well as closing his hands into fists and bracing his arms against his chest. When the twitches got to the point of happening every few seconds, that’s when the hyperventilating started. He’s grown used to them over the years, for the most part. 

These attacks usually came on suddenly and with no apparent trigger. However, sometimes overloaded stress could cause them as well. This one, he knew, was one that didn’t have a specific cause. 

It happened during some downtime at Tower while walking around with Sacha. His friend’s words were becoming too loud and the sun was too bright. Overstimulation was another common signal that his anxiety was acting up. Everything told him to run and hide in a dark corner somewhere. He stopped walking to lean up against a wall. 

“Hey, you alright?” Sacha asked. 

Visrel nodded, trying to swallow to keep his throat from closing. From where they were, it would take too long to get to Sacha’s workshop or to the hanger. He couldn’t think of any place close enough that could offer him some privacy. The thought of having a panic attack in front of everyone made his stress levels increase. Why did it have to be so crowded today?

“Liar.” Sacha grabbed his arm and put it around his neck. “Let’s get you somewhere quiet.” 

He let his friend lead him through the crowds. Visrel tried not to convulse but it was getting hard to suppress the twitches. Instead, he tried to keep his focus on breathing and walking. Even that seemed like a challenge. 

They eventually reached some door and when it opened, Visrel realized that Sacha had brought him to the H.E.L.M. There didn’t appear to be anyone inside, which he was grateful for. The last thing he needed was the Vanguard to see him like this. By the time they were inside, he couldn’t stop shaking.

“Get him to sit down,” Shadow said, appearing next to him and flying around in distress. 

Sacha did as such and carefully lowered him to the ground. That’s when Visrel stopped pretending that the attack was nothing. He allowed the twitches to go through him in waves, his head snapping back to stare at the ceiling every few seconds. The Warlock sat there with him with a hand on his back while he wrapped his arms around his knees. 

“Are you two alright?” 

Visrel managed to look over and wished he hadn’t. Crow stood there with his mask covering his unreadable expression. Though by the sound of his voice, he was heavily concerned. The other Guardian has seen these attacks a few times now. And each time, Visrel hated himself more. 

“Panic attack,” Sacha said bluntly. Crow nodded and walked to take a seat on the other side of Visrel. 

He wanted to yell at him, to tell him to leave him be. He didn’t need to see him like this. But the only sound that came out was a soft whimper. Now his breathing was starting to go. It was easier to let himself hyperventilate until it was no longer an issue or he passed out. The latter rarely happened, but it was still an outcome. The twitches stopped as his muscles tensed and locked up.

Visrel shut his eyes, curled in on himself more,and willed his heart to slow down and oxygen to get into his system. He could hear Shadow telling him to slow down and take deep breaths. The Ghost always said that but he never listened. His arms were starting to hurt from the locked tension.

Suddenly there were arms around him. He felt the fabric of Crow’s cowl on his cheek, and realized the man was hugging him to his chest. That realization caused another round of unexpected twitches. The hold around him tightened in response. 

They sat like that for a few minutes and Visrel tried to time his breathing with Crow’s. It helped take his mind off the panic and after a while seemed to be working. The need to jerk his body was beginning to subside. A few more moments passed and it was easier to breathe. Eventually, Visrel felt the tension ease from his body as he relaxed into Crow’s arms.

“I’ve got you,” Crow muttered.

He didn’t dare move for being afraid of this coming to an end. A part of him also didn’t want to face what comes next. After an attack, he became extremely clingy. Being alone made the anxiety come back in tenfold and could cause another attack if he wasn’t careful. Of course, he hasn’t told Crow this yet. 

Visrel sighed, picking his head up and finally meeting Crow’s gaze. He noticed that he wasn’t wearing the mask anymore and Sacha had left at some point. He could fully see Crow’s concerned expression, eyes looking at him softly. 

“I’m sorry. We didn’t know anybody was going to be in here and we were rushed into trying to find someplace secluded. Sacha was the one who brought me here. We didn’t mean to disturb you.” Visrel looked away. He tried not to think about the fact that Crow was still holding onto him.

“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s not like I’ve never seen you like this.”

Yeah, but-”

“No buts. You’ve helped me through my share of attacks before. Let me help you.” Crow once again tightened his hold. “We’re in this together.” 

He knew there was no use fighting with him. Crow was as stubborn as he was, and that was saying something. It must be an Awoken thing. 

They sat like that until Visrel started to lose feeling in his legs and his stomach began to growl. Loudly. Crow laughed and it shook both of them. While he wished he could stay like that forever, he knew there were other things he had to do. 

“Let’s say we get up off of this dirty floor and get some food, yeah?” Crow asked. 

“Yeah, together,” Visrel answered. 


	13. UPDATE

I apologize for not updating recently. I've been dealing with life and mental stuff so writing has become difficult. I'm currently working on getting caught up with prompts and will post them all at once as soon as I'm caught up (in the next day probably). Thank you for all the support and love with this! I'm glad people are enjoying reading about my Guardians. Soon, Visrel will have his own story with Crow, which I'm really excited to start posting.


	14. Table For Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel and Crow get acquainted with the new command center, the H.E.L.M.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the reason it took me so long to post this was not just because of life stuff, but also realizing it's been a while since I've written anything even remotely NSFWish. I'm a bit out of practice, to say the least. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to write something like this in the first place. Just a quick makeout session, but you know what they say: practice makes perfect.

When he was first introduced to the H.E.L.M., Visrel knew that he was going to spend a lot of time in that room. For starters, it had an excellent view of the Last City. Being able to see it all laid out always gave him a sense of peace; that he was doing something important with the gifts he was given. Another great thing about the War Room was that there was usually nobody ever in there unless absolutely necessary. And luckily for Visrel, today wasn’t necessary. 

He staggered through the door and put his hand on the wall to steady himself. Fatigue was starting to set in ever since he landed back in the City. It’s been two weeks of non-stop raids on Europa. As soon as they thought they finally pushed back House Salvation, they came back doubled in size. There seemed to be no end to the onslaught. And when it wasn’t them, it was the Vex. Or the Hive. Or the Cabal. 

There was this ever present cold in his bones nowadays. A shiver ran through his body as he made his way to the table. What he would give for some spicy ramen right now. He should’ve picked up some on the way here, but he didn’t feel like socializing at the moment. 

Visrel took off his helmet, setting it down on the command center table. He braced his hands on the edge and sighed with his head lowered and eyes closed. It was comforting that the only sounds he heard were the gentle hum of machinery and the occasional soft coms. Much better than blaster fire and the screams of dying Eliksni.

“Look what the Tower cat dragged in.”

Crow laughed and walked up beside him. Visrel glanced over to see him mimicking his own stance, maskless, with a smile on his face. 

“Ha ha. Very funny.” 

“Seriously, though. You look like you’re still recovering from frostbite.” 

At the mention of the cold, Visrel couldn’t help but shiver at the thought of snow. It’ll be too soon before he goes back to that frozen moon. He’d rather literally do anything else. Maybe he could pick up some work back here on Earth. There was definitely no shortage of recon missions. 

“I’d rather be stopping Hive rituals,” Visrel muttered.

“And that’s saying something, because you  _ loathe _ stopping Hive rituals.”

He didn’t have a comment for that. Instead, he stared at the shifting patterns of the table. The soft blue reminded him too much of hard ice. Visrel shook his head and another shiver went down his spine. 

“Or perhaps you could spend some time here for a while. Take a rest. Even Guardians deserve a break,” Crow said, moving closer to him. 

“Why do you think I came here in the first place?” Visrel laughed. “It certainly wasn’t so I could get right back out again. And it definitely wasn’t because I wanted to spend my downtime surrounded by people who have too much free time on their hands and can wield the power of the sun.” 

“I don’t know. Maybe some sun would do you some good.” 

Visrel looked up. From here, he could see the sky outside beginning to turn a fiery red and gold from the setting sun. Sunsets didn’t look any different on other planets. It was all the same sun and similar atmosphere. But Visrel could tell when he wasn’t on Earth. There was no comparison between them. 

His attention was robbed away from the sight as a hand covered his own. Crow’s touch was warm and made him forget for a second the past weeks of subzero temperatures. Instinctively, Visrel leaned closer into him.

“Be honest with me, how many rezes from hypothermia?” Crow asked. He said it playfully but Visrel could hear the underlying concern.

He hummed. “I stopped counting after five.”

“No wonder you’re still shaking.” 

Visrel hadn’t noticed it until now but there was a slight tremor working its way through him. He was used to dealing with side effects from revives at this point. There was a solid month where he couldn’t even look at Radiolarian fluid without feeling it in his lungs. Even just thinking about it again made his chest tighten. 

Crow suddenly removed his hand and Visrel would be lying if he said he didn’t miss the heat. It took everything in him not to reach out and grab his hand, holding it tight as if it were a lifeline. Though he didn’t have to wait long for the touch to return. 

In one swift movement, he was turned so his back was to the table, Crow’s hands braced on either side of him. Their chests were flushed together. This was not what Visrel was expecting. He was unable to stop the shiver unrelated to the cold from making his breath come out shaky. Crow gripped his chin with a gentle hand and tilted his head up.

“Do you need some help warming up?” 

He searched Crow’s face in disbelief. Was he serious right now? Although the idea was tempting, and being this close already made his face heat up, Visrel still couldn’t believe that this was going where he thought it was going. He’s been wrong before so he decided to pretend. Crow moved his other hand to settle on Visrel’s waist.

“I-uh-I mean . . .” he stammered. “I honestly could go for some spicy ramen right now. See, I thought about getting some on the way here, but I completely forgot and just didn’t want to double back and then have to wait in line, you know?” 

“Mhmm.” Crow started placing soft kisses on his cheek though otherwise stayed still. 

“Does this place even have a temperature control panel or something? I wouldn’t mind if we turned it up a few degrees, just for a little while until I start to get feeling back in my- _ oh. _ ”

Visrel felt himself sway as Crow dragged his lips up along his jaw. He couldn’t stop from grabbing the other man’s shoulders to steady himself. 

“Or you could do that.” 

Crow chuckled low in his ear. “Or I could do that.” 

This thing they had was still new. Visrel was afraid of messing it up or making the wrong move, so he always let Crow decide what they did and when. He wasn’t complaining, though. Crow was very understanding when he first told him about his inability to reciprocate certain desires. And he always made sure that Visrel was okay with whatever they were doing. 

Right now, Visrel was very okay. 

“Do you still need some warming up?” Crow’s voice had dropped in tone. He’s heard it a few times and each time sent a shock wave through him. 

“Yes, please.”

Visrel couldn’t stop from letting out a soft whimper as Crow kissed him. He leaned in, savoring the few spots where skin met skin and he felt the hand on his chin move to the back of his neck, guiding him. He cupped Crow’s face. 

He always starts off gentle, acting as if Visrel would break at any second, which both knew that wasn’t the case. Though he was a pleasant distraction from the nonstop fighting and everpressing danger. Visrel felt safe with him. That’s a feeling he wasn’t sure if he ever felt with anyone before. But here, in this room and outside of it, here with Crow, he could allow himself that small reprieve. 

While the sweetness was nice, it did nothing to stifle the cold he still felt in his fingers and his cheeks. He grabbed the front of Crow’s cowl. This would be so much easier if both of them weren’t covered head to toe in metal. Maybe some other time when they wouldn’t be walked in on at any second now. 

Crow pulled away with a breathy laugh, hovering just above Visrel’s lips. “Feeling warmed up yet?” 

Visrel couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled Crow back in, kissing him hard and deep. The other Guardian moaned against him in a way that shook him to his core. A hand was in his hair suddenly, tugging and pulling, fingers gently scraping against his scalp. He felt Crow’s thigh push between his legs and the edge of the table dig into his lower back.

He tasted of mint and something spicy akin to cinnamon. Visrel felt like he could never get enough of it, no matter how many times they’ve snuck into the tight cockpit of his jumpship or found a secluded part of the Tower away from prying eyes. He liked it better when they didn’t have to worry about being found out. When they could both be as loud as they wanted. Although, sneaking around and taking risks is what they do best.

There was another shiver traveling up his spine this time, and he felt the hand in his hair tighten in response, jerking him hard. Visrel moaned loudly which was swallowed up by Crow pushing past his lips and shaving his tongue down his throat. It was rough and sweet and everything he’s been missing the past couple weeks. 

“Please,” he muttered between breaths. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was asking for, but Crow seemed to know anyways.

He guided Visrel down to rest his forehead on his shoulder. Lips were once again tracing his jawline down to his neck, his touch as light as a feather. If his blood wasn’t pumping before, it sure was now. It felt as if the Light itself was coursing through his veins.

His lips stopped on his pulse point and Visrel tightened his grip. Then he flicked his tongue over the spot and Visrel  _ melted. _ It took all of his self control to keep himself standing. He couldn’t stop the noises of pleasure from escaping his throat, or from tilting his head to the side as Crow teased the skin there. He gasped as there was a sharp, blissful pinprick of pain. Instinctively, he rolled his hips down against Crow’s thigh, eliciting similar sounds to his own. 

A cough made them both freeze on the spot. Visrel’s breath caught in his throat as his eyes glanced over, cheeks burning. He stayed perfectly still as Crow released him and backed away, following his stare to Osiris. Even from underneath the mask, Visrel could see an amused expression in the other Guardian’s eyes. 

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Osiris cocked an eyebrow. 

“No, no, we were just . . .” Crow stammered. Visrel tried not to laugh.

“You were just testing out the durability of our new command center?”

Visrel covered his face with a cough to try and hide the smile that couldn’t be stopped. Osiris was the one person that could make Crow feel embarrassed, and for that he was a little jealous. He looked over at Crow who refused to make eye contact with either of them. 

“Don’t you two have more important things you should be attending to?”

Crow shifted from foot to foot, a hand on the back of his neck. “Right, I’ll get back to it then.” 

He glanced over at Visrel, winked, and disappeared through another door. Visrel decided following suit would be the best idea right now. He was about to leave through the main entrance when Osiris coughed again. 

“Guardian?”

Visrel turned and the glint in Osiris' eyes was more present now. It was obvious he was smiling. He tapped the side of his neck, and Visrel was suddenly aware of the bruise that was beginning to form. 

He turned on his heel, putting the hood of his cloak up, the cold long forgotten as his cheeks burned from both embarrassment and ecstasy


	15. Love Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sacha gets sent out to find something and ends up finding more than he anticipated.

“And you’re sure it’s somewhere in this building? This isn’t some wild goosechase?” Sacha asked over the coms. 

“I’m certain of it. Just follow the tracker and it should lead you there.” 

“And why didn’t you come out here yourself to get it, if it’s so easy.” 

“Because,” Banshee chuckled on the other end, “it isn’t for me.”

Sacha and Priz shared a look before the little light disappeared and the coms went silent once again. It was very unlike Banshee to be cryptic on purpose. He hoped it wasn’t on purpose, anyways. Either way, he had a job to do.

He was standing in front of a small five story building just outside of the Last City’s walls. Scans reported no movement. That didn’t mean there was nothing inside, just no heat signatures. The tracker he was given showed that the object Banshee was looking for was somewhere on the top floor. The placement in of itself made him question again why the other Guardian didn’t come out here himself. 

His grip tightened on his sidearm as he made his way inside. It didn’t look like it would fall apart at any moment but Sacha was careful to watch his step. Spending time scouring the EDZ’s ruins was finally going to pay off in a way that didn’t include others making fun of him. It wasn’t his fault that he was genuinely curious about humanities’ history. 

The motion trackers remained quiet throughout the trek, and he only stumbled a few times over piles of rubble. There was unfortunately not much else in the building besides some local plant life and various assortments of debris. Nothing really caught his attention.

That was until he reached the top floor. The roof of the building had decayed to nothing, leaving only blue sky above. According to the tracker, the object he was looking for was about 15 feet away. Scans still reported nothing. Sacha didn’t know whether to be extremely cautious or to loosen up a bit.

He chose the former and quietly maneuvered through the various rooms, stopping when he was on the other side of his target. Slowly, carefully, he turned the corner, looking down the sights of his gun, and into the empty room. 

A persistent beeping came from the tracker. This was definitely the spot, though there didn’t seem to be anything here. The room was bare, save for more debris and small plant life. The debris was more of the same rocks and fallen-

Sacha’s eyes stopped at the center of the room. At first glance, it looked like scraps. But upon closer examination, the piece of paper was in a lot better condition than the surrounding environment. Was this all he was supposed to retrieve? 

He walked over and bent down, carefully picking it up. There was writing on one side of it, though that wasn’t what he noticed first. The first thing he noticed was his name in neat handwriting at the top. It was a letter addressed to him. 

_ Sacha, _

_ Figured this was the easiest way to go about this. I can’t promise that I’ll even remember writing this to you. Which is why I made a second copy of this letter for myself. Your kindness towards me doesn’t go unnoticed. You’ve been a welcomed change in my life. I’ve been thinking about how to repay you and thought grabbing something to eat sometime would suffice. My treat.  _

_ -Banshee _

For a few minutes, Sacha read and reread the letter more than a couple of times. The words didn’t seem to stick. He remembered a while back trying to give advice to Visrel on how to ask Crow out on what he called a “date”. The letter seemed very reminiscent of what that Hunter was rehearsing to himself. While the thought was entertaining, he couldn’t believe that it was the case here. 

“Did you find it?” came the question over coms. 

“Yeah, I did.” 

“What was it?”

He sighed, running a finger over the first few lines of the letter. Getting his hopes up was the last thing he should do now. Just because he felt a certain way, whatever that way is, doesn’t mean those feelings were mutual. Honestly, he was a bit envious of his friend who was able to not only know what to do with his emotions but also knew how to express them. Maybe it was time to let this thing go.

Sacha shook his head as if to rid himself of those pesky thoughts. “Just another lead. Looks like whatever you were looking for is still out there.” 


	16. Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visrel reminiscences about the different connections he's made and friends who've come and gone.

“I’m telling you, you’re going to love it. You’re not a true Guardian yet until you’ve had this,” Cayde-6 said, nudging Visrel with his foot. They were sitting on a way too high ledge, legs dangling over the side, with bowls of ramen in their laps. A cold wind had started to pick up and it was beginning to snow. 

They finally defeated Ghaul not too long ago. Visrel was glad for the downtime but couldn’t help but feel like something bigger was approaching on the horizon. Even though the war was over, something gnawed at the back of his mind. His food remained untouched. 

“Come on,” Shadow prodded, “It’s not poisoned.” 

Cayde laughed. “Looks like you got one of the sarcastic ones. Those are rare indeed, friend.” 

Visrel couldn’t help the smile from appearing on his face. Since first becoming a Guardian, he hasn’t had any time to socialize with the others. And then the Red War happened. He got caught up in trying to save those who were still left. Now that they weren’t constantly trying not to die, Shadow has been pestering him to finally make some friends. 

“You know, this is your first Dawning. And I know us Hunters are more of the strong silent type. So, I took the liberty of getting you something.” 

Before he could protest, Cayde held out his hand. In his palm was a yellow crystal which Visrel recognized as an enhancement core. His eyes widened at the sight of it. He looked from Cayde’s hand, to his face, and back down. 

“It’s not much, but I wanted to make sure you got something.” 

“Thank you,” Visrel whispered. 

“Holy crap! So he does speak!” 

Cayde punched his shoulder with a laugh. He allowed himself to laugh along with the other Guardian. It’s been a tough time recently and he was glad he could share a moment like this. Hopefully, this would be the first of many in the future.

* * *

“You need to eat, please,” Shadow said. Visrel didn’t look at his Ghost and could only stare down at the bowl in his lap, the events of the Dreaming City playing in his mind on repeat. Every loud noise made him jump now. He just couldn’t get Uldren’s pitiful eyes out of his head. 

He eventually looked up and out over the City. This was the first Dawning without his mentor, his ally, and his friend. His only friend, for that matter. They had made it tradition to sit together and share a meal. Now it was only him. 

“Visrel . . .”

He glanced over. “I can’t.”

“I know it’s not the same, but . . .'' Shadow paused for a moment, looking down at the noodles. Another bowl transmatted next to him. Visrel cocked an eyebrow as Shadow hovered above it. “I could be a stand in.” 

“You can’t eat.”

“Then that means more for you!”

Visrel shook his head but laughed. It felt good to laugh again. Slowly, he began to eat. Of course it wouldn’t be the same without him, though that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy it. It was tradition, after all. Cayde would be pissed if he didn’t keep it up. He could hear him now, playfully mocking him with a smile. 

_“Still no friends, huh? Even a Hunter needs to make a friend or two.”_

He twirled his fork in his ramen and took a bite.

* * *

“It’s not poisoned, I promise,” Visrel said with a laugh as Sacha, the new light Warlock, poked at his food. 

“It reminds me of Hive worms.”

“I can assure you, no Hive worms were used.” He bumped shoulders with him. “Besides, it’s tradition.”

Sacha looked at him. “Tradition to sit precariously on the edge who knows how many stories up with hot food that could cause us to drop or fall?”

“Exactly!”

It took a while but eventually Sacha caved and began eating. If the ramen was too hot, he didn’t say anything. They sat there for some time, watching the snow begin to gently fall. There was something else Visrel wanted to say but couldn’t get the words out. 

“So why are we doing this again? Besides tradition,” Sacha asked. He placed his bowl off to the side and turned to face Visrel. 

“Well, every Dawning I come up here to watch the first snowfall of the season. Cayde was the one who . . .” 

Visrel stopped, not sure whether he could, or wanted, to continue. It was still hard to think about sometimes. He still wakes up some nights screaming. At least Shadow is there to comfort him on his bad nights. They don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. 

“I’m assuming you two were close?”

He shrugged. “No closer than you and I, really. But I did consider him a friend. And I was there at the end.”

“And you consider us friends?” 

Sacha’s tone wasn’t malicious but it wasn’t kind either. It was more like he was stating a fact or a scientific observation. It unnerved Visrel a little bit but he shook it off. Instead of commenting on it, he smiled as wide as he could. 

“After all we’ve been through on the moon? How could I not consider us friends? Do you consider us friends?” 

The Warlock took a while to respond. “Yes, I suppose I do.”


	17. UPDATE 2.0

Hey, it's me again. Sorry for not providing an update. As of right now, I don't have any plans of continuing this relatively soon. College and life came up so I had to take a break from writing to work on that. Some good news thought is I'm finally back to working on a full GuardianXCrow fic that I plan to have out at some point soon. So stay tuned for that if you enjoyed Visrel! I might come back periodically to write some of these prompts, because I do have a few ideas. But for now, thanks for understanding and all of the support. Honestly, I made it a lot farther with this than I thought I was going to.


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